DANNY COLLINS says Sunderland’s 7-1 humiliation at Everton last season was a once-in-a-lifetime freak result.

Collins heads back to Goodison Park this afternoon with the Black Cats looking to wipe away the memory of that scoreline, which was Sunderland’s heaviest defeat for a quarter of a century.

Everton ran riot 13 months ago, leaving Roy Keane’s side shell-shocked, but defender Collins — who came on as a half-time substitute in that game with the score at 3-1 — insists that is is a very different Sunderland side who will return to the blue half of Merseyside today.

“It was a huge disappointment but to say it was the low point of my career is going too far,” said Collins.

“It was one of those games you just have to put to bed.

“It was one of those where they took all their chances and we didn’t defend at all well on the day. It’s one of those games that we will probably never experience again.

“It was one of those freak results that happens from time to time. We have lads here now who were not part of that day, the likes of Djibril Cisse who have come in this year, so we can go there pretty confident of coming away with something.

“We saw a few of the Everton boys on their Christmas do when we were on ours the other week in Leeds. A few of our boys knew Tim Howard from his time at Manchester United and he was having a bit of craic with them, but no one mentioned the 7-1 game!”

Sunderland go to Goodison looking to Goodison stretch their unbeaten run to Goodison a fourth game, with big wins against West Brom and Hull followed by a goalless draw against Blackburn at the Stadium of Light on Boxing Day — a run which has landed Ricky Sbragia the permanent manager’s job.

The Black Cats have kept two clean sheets in their last three games and have shown no signs of leaking goals like they did on their last trip to Everton.

David Moyes Toffeemen beat Middlesbrough 1-0 at the Riverside on Friday and go into the game in sixth place, although they have the worst home record in the top flight with just one win and seven points from their nine games at Goodison Park so far.

Collins said: “We’re going there on the back of a couple of good results and they had a good result against Boro, but hopefully we can go there and take the clean sheet with us and look to build on that again and come away with something.

“We knew it was going to be a tough game against Blackburn on Friday. We’d banged in a few goals in the last couple of games, but on the positive side it’s a point and a clean sheet and, as a defender, I thought the back-four defended well.

“The teams around us or just above us, like Newcastle, have lost so it was a point gained, I think.”

Everton have scored just nine times in the league at home this season, one of the lowest totals in the Premiership, and the fact that injuries have left the Blues without a recognised striker hardly helps.

Aussie midfielder Tim Cahill, who scored the winner at Boro, played as a stand-in striker at the Riverside and is likely to play in a similar role again today.

Cahill has an incredible goalscoring record against Sunderland, netting five goals in his last six league and cup games against the Wearsiders for Everton and, prior to that, Millwall.

Collins said: “He’s a good midfielder who seems to get himself in the box at the right time. He’s not the biggest lad but he’s got a good leap and has the knack of getting in the box, a bit like Paul Scholes.

“He will probably be the main threat for Everton because they have a lot of their front boys out at the moment. He’s popped up with one or two goals against us in the past. He just sort of plays in the hole.

“It’s one of those where you say, ‘Does the defence pick him up or the midfield come with him?’ “But hopefully we can get it sorted out today and keep a close eye on him this year.”

Sunderland’s new boss Sbragia, pictured left, has named an unchanged side for the last three games but, with the trip to Everton coming less than 48 hours after the Blackburn match, he has hinted that he will make changes today.

Collins said: “Having a settled side has been a help but I think we have a good squad.

“And with this game coming only 48 hours after that last, he’s perhaps going to freshen it up, but we’ll wait and see.

“Ricky has done a great job since stepping in. He’s been good with the boys and I think it’s shown out on the pitch.”